The Abandoned Villainess Takes Everything This Time - Chapter 140

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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140.
Chapter 34. First, and Perhaps Last
“Ow?”
Lillian wrapped her hand around her neck with a soft slap.
What was that burning sensation that had just flared across her skin?
“……?”
She looked up at the silver-haired man.
His beautiful face held an expression of tender affection as he smiled.
When he touched her neck, warmth blossomed in her chest.
“Are you all right?”
“Hm? Yes.”
“……Good. I’ve been waiting so we could go together. I couldn’t bear it if you were hurt.”
Go? Where?
But before she could ask, he glanced sideways at the Shadows who had been following behind her.
“Do not follow us.”
“But Your Highness, considering recent events—”
The recent events they spoke of referred to what had transpired at Tillard Manor.
‘We were missing there for an entire week, after all.’
Yet neither of us felt the passage of that time.
‘And that wasn’t the only strange thing.’
‘The day she arrived? I don’t remember much after a certain point.’
Ramio was the same, as was everyone else in their party—none of them could recall losing consciousness.
But his quiet voice made Lillian shudder.
“When did you become so foolish as to fail to understand your master’s words?”
“……!”
“Do I need to repeat myself?”
The Shadows went rigid, and then they all dropped to one knee in unison.
“Our apologies, Your Highness!”
Their faces had gone pale.
‘It’s rare to see Ren use that tone with the Shadows.’
……Though to be honest, Lillian felt a chill run through her as well.
‘What was that?’
His appearance was still unmistakably Eunjeok—hers.
But watching him was like staring down an enormous avalanche, feeling her breath catch in her throat.
She knew that to be buried by it meant instant death, yet she could not run; she could only stand and stare.
But when he turned to look at her—
“Lillian.”
His smile returned to that tender gentleness from before.
“Shall we be going?”
“…….”
Lillian blinked.
Surely not.
No.
It couldn’t be.
Lillian took his hand as if nothing were amiss.
“Your Highness, where exactly would you like to go?”
“A date.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s go on a date, Lillian.”
* * *
Lillian hadn’t known.
Well, she’d known he was terrifying from the moment he told her to be entirely his, marriage being the premise—but this was something else.
‘This man, does he have a … list of date dreams?’
To look at him, one would think he’d prepared an actual agenda.
The first stop was, surprisingly, shopping.
“Your Highness, I only have one head, and you’ve already purchased twenty-four hats…….”
“I thought you could change into a new one every hour.”
After that, he kept pushing snacks into her mouth.
“Mmph, Your Highness. If my teeth rot like this, what then?”
“I’ll annihilate the bacteria for you. If your blood sugar drops, you’ll get tired and we won’t be able to spend as long together.”
“If I gain weight—”
“It would be adorable.”
“…….”
“The cutest thing in the world…….”
The man must be mad—absolutely mad.
His tongue was only a few inches long, yet the power it wielded was remarkable.
‘Though so far, this feels almost like what he’s done before.’
Then he made a request she hadn’t anticipated at all.
“You want us to make the same artifact and wear it?”
“Yes.”
Couple Items—that’s what it would be called.
Though the word “couple” didn’t exist in Perniers, his intent was identical.
“I saw the Shadows wearing matching bracelets.”
“Yes. I distributed the Blessing of the Moon among them all.”
“But you never gave it to me.”
“…….”
Who criticizes someone’s conscience in the middle of a date?
Yet he looked pleased.
Like an enormous cat pressing against her, he kept coaxing her forward.
“So, just you and me—let’s make one thing, the same thing.”
“But surely something made by the Imperial Court’s artisans would be better than what I could craft?”
Her pride stung a little, but it was true—the court’s artisans were far superior in decorative work.
Not to mention the matter of imbuing it with control was an entirely different skill.
But he was utterly resolute.
“I want to receive something you’ve made.”
……Ugh.
Lillian swallowed a small groan and led him to the workshop attached to the Mariposa shop.
In her past life, she’d managed a workshop and did this fairly often.
‘The Couple Ring Making One-Day Class.’
The profit margins were good enough that she’d done it several times.
The difference now was that back then, Lillian had been the instructor.
‘I never imagined I’d be the one on the receiving end of this.’
To experience that happy teasing that others had endured—now it was her turn.
Lillian retrieved a silver plate.
His Strength Control was poor; every time he tried to hammer the ring to fit his size, he shattered it completely.
‘Oh no, the hammer broke too.’
A tragic testament to an S-rank Ability User forgetting his basic strength.
When Lillian brought him the third hammer, he tilted his head.
“……It’s odd. Harder than I expected.”
“If it’s too difficult, shall we try something else?”
A ring wasn’t exactly an artifact beginners typically made.
‘Maybe a leather bracelet with a Moon Pendant would have been better?’
She started to stand and offer an alternative, but he shook his head.
“No, wait. Don’t get up.”
“But you said it’s harder than expected.”
“I like doing this with you, that’s all.”
His face, scrunched in concentration and wearing a smile, looked genuinely happy.
Truly, impossibly happy.
The kind of happiness that made an onlooker’s eyes well with tears.
“I have to make yours myself.”
“…….”
“Don’t worry—I won’t break anything this time.”
“……Yes, but these are shop tools. They’re professional-grade, so they’re extremely expensive. You’ll have to compensate me later.”
“Ha ha ha!”
He laughed with genuine delight.
Lillian’s emotions grew increasingly complicated.
* * *
The workshop date had ended.
In Lillian’s hand lay the ring he had made for her.
In his hand was a small pouch containing the ring Lillian had made.
Lillian hesitated.
“Can’t you just open it now? You saw me make the whole thing anyway.”
“No, you can’t.”
Why say “yes” if you’re going to answer with a negative?
He narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“……I engraved words inside it. It wouldn’t be fun if you saw them now.”
“…….”
“Hmm. Where should we go next?”
He looked increasingly animated.
With the pouch containing the ring dangling from his hand, his excitement was obvious.
“Your Highness, it’s almost dinner time.”
“……Oh.”
“Are you not hungry?”
Even an S-rank Ability User would have the same stomach as any other human, yet this man showed no sign of it.
He narrowed his eyes and smiled wickedly.
“I can’t forget to feed you. Let’s go eat.”
“Shall we return to the Castle then—?”
“Somewhere else.”
He opened a Rift once more.
This time, the place he brought her to was far from the Capital—
‘It’s Silverin.’
That was when Lillian understood.
This man had been deliberately choosing every scenic spot that Perniers residents visited to see flowers.
He sighed with lingering disappointment.
“There are no flowers here either.”
“It’s the wrong season for them.”
Lillian watched him carefully.
Should they go back? But it seemed too soon…….
But when he brought her to the lodging, Lillian blinked in panic.
“Hm?”
Surely not … an overnight stay?
And there was only one room.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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